Suleiman the Magnificent

Suleiman the Magnificent, the most extraordinary of all Ottoman sultans, led his army as far as the gates of Vienna, made himself master of the Mediterranean, and established his court in Baghdad. He regarded it as his duty to extend the boundaries of Islam farther and farther, and the Christian world could not agree to unite against him: Charles the Fifth was forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Constantinople, while his most Christian Majesty Francis the First allied himself with the Grand Turk. 'The Shadow of God on Earth', but also an expert politician and all-powerful despot, Suleiman ruled the state firmly with the help of his viziers. He extended the borders of the empire beyond what any of the Ottoman sultans had achieved, yet it is as a lawgiver that he is remembered in the history of the Turks. His empire held dominion over three continents, populated by more than 30 million inhabitants, among whom nearly all of the races and religions of mankind were represented. Prospering under a well-directed, authoritarian economy, Suleiman's reign marked the apogee of Ottoman power. City and country alike experienced unprecedented economic and demographic growth.
Istanbul was the largest city in the world, enjoying a remarkable renaissance of arts and letters, a mighty capital, the seat of the Seraglio and dark intrigue.